samosa recipe with step by step photos and video. homemade samosa if made correctly are always the best. this punjabi samosa recipe will give you one of the best samosa you can make at home. these samosas are flaky and crispy from outside with a tasty potato and peas stuffing.

if you have time and patience to make samosas at home then you won’t feel like buying samosa from outside after trying this recipe. homemade samosas are not only hygienic but delicious as well. this recipe is a proper north indian punjabi samosa recipe which you are going to love.

to get the right texture and flakiness in the samosa pastry cover, the dough has to be kneaded correctly and the right technique should be used for frying. there are two ways they are fried. apart from frying, they can be baked too for a low fat version. i experimented with all three different methods and have mentioned the points below.

how to get the perfect samosa crust?

few points to remember are:

1. proportion of fat:the amount of fat which we also call as “moyen or moyan” in hindi has to be in the right proportion in a samosa dough. one of my friends mentioned to add ⅕ of fat to 1 part of flour in weight. eg. if you use 1 kilogram of flour, then you have to add 200 grams of fat. in this samosa recipe, i have slightly reduced the amount of fat.

2. quantity of water:a samosa crust dough has to be kneaded to a tight and firm dough. the dough should not be soft like a roti or chapati dough. so less water is added when kneading the dough. the amount of water to be added depends on the quality of the flour. so remember to add water in parts and knead the dough.

3. rolling samosa crust:while rolling the crust, roll evenly. the crust has to be even all over. don’t roll the samosa crust too thick otherwise it will take too much time to fry. thus the samosa will become hard while frying on low heat. also don’t roll the samosa dough too thin. it won’t be able to contain the potato stuffing and break in oil. so remember these points while roll samosa dough. you need some practice to gauge the right thickness.

two ways to fry samosa:

there are two frying techniques for that perfect crispy flaky crust in a samosa:

1. frying samosa at a low temperature:

in this method, first the oil is heated to a high temperature. then the samosas are added in the hot oil. as soon as the samosas are placed in the hot oil, the flame is reduced to a low and then the samosas are fried on a low flame. this ensures that the samosa does not absorb too much oil. if you directly put the samosa on a low temperature oil and fry in sim, then it will absorb too much oil. if you fry in hot oil, then there are chances of tiny air bubble pockets forming outside. the samosas are also not cooked from inside when fried in very hot oil.

2. double frying the samosas:

this is a little lengthy method and the one which i will suggest you to try while making samosas at home if you have time. in this method the samosas are very lightly fried not allowing them to become golden. just that the dough cooks and thats it. add the samosas in hot oil and remove them when the crust has become opaque and creamish white. just enough fried that if you remove it from oil then it will not break. drain & keep them aside. do this with all the samosas. later lower the flame and then fry the once fried samosas again till they are golden.

with both the methods, the final samosas will be crisp & flaky from outside and cooked well from inside – like the one you get in the markets and there will be no tiny air bubbles on the crust. a pic below of the samosa fried twice.

two alternative methods of making samosa instead of frying are (1) baking and (2) air frying. i have used both the methods. i feel the air fried samosa have a better texture than the baked ones.

(1) how to bake samosa:

the samosas which are baked have not much difference in the taste, but texture wise, the fried samosas are better. from health perspective, baking method is better. i baked samosas at 180 degrees celsius for about 30 mins. below is a pic of baked samosas. you can also check this different recipe of baked samosawhich has a better texture.

(2) how to make samosa in an air fryer:

instead of baking, samosas can also be air fried. if you have an air fryer then do try making samosas in it. you will be pleasantly surprised with the texture of the air fried samosas. the air fried samosas have a better texture than the oven baked ones. they do taste similar to the fried samosas, minus too much of oil. for air frying, preheat air fryer at 180 degrees celsius for 10 minutes. brush samosas with oil and air fry at 180 degrees celsius till the samosas are golden.

frequently asked questions for samosa recipe:

i have compiled below answers to questions based on the queries asked by readers in the comments.

1. can samosa be made with whole wheat flour?

most indian recipes using maida (all purpose flour) can be easily made with whole wheat flour. just remember to add more water while kneading as whole wheat flour absorbs more water. i have shared a whole wheat samosa version earlier. recipe is here – whole wheat samosa (baked).

2. can samosa be freezed?

you can freeze the samosas. either shape them and then freeze. you can also first fry them till the crust becomes opaque and then freeze them. this way the samosas stay better for a longer time. before frying, let the samosas come to room temperature and then fry. if fried when they are still cold, then they absorb more oil.

3. can samosas be made with puff pastry sheets or spring roll wrappers or phyllo sheets?

if using puff pastry sheets, then bake samosas. you can even air fry.

for spring roll wrappers, you can eithery fry or bake them.

with phyllo sheets bake the samosas.

4. can onions be added in the samosa stuffing?

usually in a proper punjabi samosa, onions and garlic are never added. but we can always make our own variations and be creative. so you can add onions and garlic if you prefer.

5. why has samosa turned soft after frying?

samosa can become soft due to two reasons. either the dough is soft or the oil is at a too low temperature while frying. when you knead the dough, make sure that dough is tight and stiff. it should be not be soft like chapati dough.

6. why there are air pockets on the fried samosa?

a few air pockets are fine, but the samosa should not be covered with a lot of air pockets. if the samosa dough is soft, then the air pockets occur on the crust. too much moisture in the dough makes the crust soft as well as gives it plenty of air pockets. while frying, if the oil is too hot, air pockets appear on the crust.

7. what is the recipe for the fried green chilly which they serve with punjabi samosas?

one recipe is to slit the green chillies keeping them whole. shallow fry or deep fry them till you see a few light golden blisters on them. later sprinkle some salt on the fried green chilies and mix. you can also sprinkle some chaat masala or amchur powder.

second recipe is to stuff a mixture of amchur powder (dry mango powder) and salt in slit green chilies. shallow fry them and then serve.

8. can samosas be stored and for how many days?

you can easily store samosa for a couple of hours at room temperature. if you don’t plan to eat them at all, then store them in an air-tight box (dabba) in the fridge. when serving you can warm them on a tawa or in an oven.

9. what to do with leftover samosas?

you can warm the samosa on a tawa (griddle) or oven and have them with bread or phulkas. you can even make various snacks with samosa like:

to make a vegan samosa, use oil instead of ghee (clarified butter) while making the samosa dough crust.

11. can samosas be baked or air fried?

yes of course you can bake or air fry samosa. please do read the baking and air frying part i have mentioned above.

variations you can make in samosa stuffing:

there are many variations of stuffing depending on the region and state in india. we always prefer the classic authentic punjabi stuffing of peas and potatoes. the following are the samosa stuffing variations:

in delhi and punjab, potatoes alone or a combination of peas and potatoes is used. here the filling is not crushed to a smoothness. the aloo or potato pieces are soft but intact and there are few green chili pieces also in the filing. there is a slight sourness in this stuffing as dry mango powder or dry pomegranate powder is added. a few more spices are added as well.

in some variations, raisins are also added in the samosa filling which gives the samosa a little sweet taste in between. sometimes cashews are also added.

in some places, the filling is totally mashed unlike the punjabi samosas.

if the green chilies are not added in the samosa filling then fried green chilies are usually served separately.

some people also add ginger-garlic paste and on few rare occasions, i have found chopped carrots pieces also in a samosa filling.

a variation with mix vegetables is also made. veggies like peas, carrots, cauliflower and potatoes are added.

onion samosa is another variation where a spiced mixture of onions and poha (flattened rice) is filled in the samosa.

sweet samosa is also made with a stuffing of khoya (mawa) and dry fruits. this is made usually during festivals like diwali or holi. these samosas are also known as khoya samosa or dry fruits samosa.

a variation of samosa made with paneer is also there.

cocktail samosa is a small sized samosa stuffed with a dry filling of spices, nuts and dry fruits.

i have also posted the bengali version of samosa made with cauliflower, potatoes and green peas. it is called as shingara.

my personal choice will always be apunjabi samosa. the filling for a punjabi samosa also has to be equally good. the stuffing used in this recipe is adapted from my home science notes.

i have also made a video which shows the shaping, stuffing and deep frying the samosas. you can have a look at the video in the recipe card below, if the pics don’t help.

stuff the prepared samosa cone with the prepared potato-peas stuffing.

apply some water with your fingertips or brush on the round samosa cone circumference.

pinch a part on the edge (check the video & pics). this helps the samosas to stand.

press both the edges. be sure there are no cracks.

prepare all the samosas this way and keep covered with a moist kitchen napkin.

frying samosas:

now heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. once the oil becomes hot (test by adding a small piece of dough – it should come up quickly once added to the hot oil) gently slide the prepares stuffed samosas & quickly reduce the flame to low.

you can also fry the samosas twice as i have mentioned above in the post.

turn over in between and fry the samosas till golden. drain samosas on paper towels to remove excess oil.

fry the samosas in batches.

for frying the second batch, again increase the temperature of the oil.

add the samosas and then lower the flame, thereby decreasing the temperature of oil.

recipe video

recipe notes

few tips for making punjabi samosa recipe:

* if using mango powder, then add directly when adding peas. no need to roast and grind the mango powder with the other whole spices.

many times samosa is served with fried green chilies. slit the green chilies keeping it whole. shallow fry them and later sprinkle some salt and mix. you can also sprinkle some chaat masala or amchur powder.

method to bake samosa instead of frying:

pre heat the oven to 180 degree celsius.

brush oil lightly on the prepared samosas.

place them in a baking tray and bake for 30-35 mins or till light golden at 180 degrees C.

how to make samosa recipe:

a) making samosa pastry:

1. take the all purpose flour (maida), carom seeds (ajwain), salt in a bowl. mix well and add ghee or oil.

frying samosa:

25: now heat oil for deep frying samosa in a kadai or pan. once the oil becomes hot (test by adding a small piece of dough – it should come up quickly once added to the hot oil) gently slide 3-4 of the prepares stuffed samosas & then reduce the flame to low.

About

dassana amit

i started vegrecipesofindia.com in feb 2009. it is a pure vegetarian blog and shares recipes with step by step photos.

i am passionate about cooking from childhood and learnt cooking from my elders. a home science degree course further enhanced my cooking and baking skills professionally along with an internship in a five star hotel. i am trained both in mainstream indian as well as international cuisines.

all the 1800 recipes posted on blog are tried and tested and made healthy wherever possible. the recipes are detailed and with step by step pictures that will easily help you to make delicious and tasty vegetarian food.

I have made samosas with this recipe before and they have tired out very delicious. I have done both methods, each one was equally good. I am planning on making this for a party. I need to make around 45 of these. Can I just quadruple the recipe? Could you help me in figuring out the amount of everything if I cannot quadruple it? Also for sake of convenience can I half fry the samosas the day before and refrigerate them and fry them before the event? What precautions should I take? Thanks so much.

nita, you can easily quadruple the recipe. for spice powders in the potato stuffing, i would suggest to add in parts. mix and taste and add more if required. you can half fry and freeze. or after shaping the samosas, also you can freeze. but before frying let them come at room temperature and then fry. oil can be medium hot if you have half fried.

Hi Dassana, I made 47 Samosas for the party and not one was left! I somehow managed to sneak one for my husband. All my American friends loved it. I skipped the green chilies but still it was delicious 😋 and your chutneys were a hit too. I got so many compliments of been a good cook today but they really have to go to you! I can’t do a thing without your recipes. A big hug 🤗 to you dear. Thank you.

thats great nita and thanks for letting me know. thanks again. the recipes are there and they do aid or help, but finally its you doing all the cooking. so some credit should go to you too 🙂. hugs and a happy makar sankranti festival 😊.

I made these today, they tasted really good. However I used half atta half maida so pastry was a bit less flaky and needed more water to bind the dough.Did see a few air bubbles but overall I am pleased with my first attempt. Thank you for such tasty recipes

Hi Dassana. I love your website. I keep coming back to it when I need to cook something new.Thank you for sharing your tried and tested recipes.I have made the punjabi samosas twice already.They turned out great. My husband said its the best ones he has ever eaten;even better than those sold in restaurants!! The credit is all yours. I would like to make these samosas for my daughter who is studying in another city. She only has a microwave oven.Can I double fry and pass it to her? She could freeze and heat them in the microwave oven when she wants.Is that doable?Will they keep well and for how long?

thank you mansha. nice to read your comment. of course you can do this way for your daughter. just double fry first. once the samosas cool. then place them in a freezer safe box. then whenever she want, she can just reheat the samosas and have them. if they are freezed they stay good for about a month.

Tried this recipe today and it came out great.. I used a mix of wheat flour and all purpose flour. These samosas tasted exactly like we get in sweet shops in India. I have been craving for these a while. This recipe is truly awesome ????

Hi Dassana, can I replace 2 tsps of pomegranate seeds with 1 tsp of pomegranate powder … in that case , shud i roast the powder along with the other dry spices ? Also how long this samosa will stay in the room temperature ? ( I stay in Europe and right now it is winter here ) . Because I want to pack these samosas for a trip … thank you .

Hi Dassana Ji…… I tried your punjabi samosa recipe…thank you so much…It came out really well.. But the outer maida coating of samosa is very hard unlike the ones we get at shops… Could you give suggestions to make it soft? Thank you

thank you sanjai. the fat (ghee or oil) has to be mixed very well with the flour. if it is mixed well, then the texture has flakiness and crispness. the hardness could be as the fat was not mixed well or less water was added. depending on the quality of flour, if required you can always add more water. the dough has to be firm after kneading it.

its a complicated & time taking recipe and thats why i have not made them. an alternative for the cover to make these samosas would be to use spring roll wrappers. the patti cover is easily available in most supermarkets or hypermarkets. check in the freezer section and you should get them.

hi dassana, i tried this samosa.it came out very well.i used oil only.baked some of them.that to came out well.i never thought that i could make such a tasty samosa.thank u very much.it had bubbles but i liked it that way.i know it is due to too hot oil.

Hi i went through your recipe of dal pakwan it turned out too good when i followed the recipe.you happened to mention that you are trying samosa recipe that are available at theaters plssssssssss i want to know the recipe can you plsssssssss share (gurukrupa samosa).

Such a tasty website? I must say Thanx for sharing all veg recipes it’s really helpful for people like us who are shudh vaishnav,s. I tried so many recipes from ur website and will continue trying. Thank you so much.

I love your recipes and whenever I want to try something new, I refer to your recipes. I had never cooked before marriage and after marriage I learnt to cook with your help 🙂 Now my family is surprised when I make new dishes everyday. They especially loved these samosas.

I tried making, but you know what the samosas turned really soft after frying. I followed all the precise instructions, you gave. Can you suggest something, to make them crispier next time. Thankyou, Supriya

samosas can become soft due to either the dough becoming soft or the oil is at a too low temperature while frying. when you knead the dough, make sure that dough is tight and hard. it should be not be soft like chapati dough. you can use the method of frying twice as this gives a crisp texture.

Thanks for the very precise measurements for the ingredients. The samosas tasted awesome. I first tried your punjabi chhole, and papri recipes which turned out perfect. Now I follow only your recipes. Can we freeze these samosas for use when unexpected guests drop in?

hello, thanks for the great recipe! i was wondering if i could freeze these samosas for upto a month or so. and if i can then do i have to bring them to room temperature before refrying ? thanks in advance 🙂

Simply amazing! Tried this yesterday and it came out so well! Except that I couldn’t avoid the tiny air bubbles (the goal is to try and make them without the air bubbles next time), everything else came out perfectly.

I still have 4 balls of leftover atta (I ran out of all the masala), what do you suggest I do with it?

These detailed instructions and pictures are so helpful! I experiment with different fillings, and most recently made Ethiopian spiced lentils & potatoes for my stuffing, but your tips on making the pastry improved my samosas so much. I will try your recipe for the potato filling next time! Thanks!

welcome lauri. thanks for your positive feedback. i tried printing the recipe from my desktop (windows 8) and i got the print option. if you share some more technical details then i can pass this error to the software developer of this plugin.

Hi Dassana, Kudos for such detailed posts !!! They really help a lot. Though I am yet to try this one but I tried matar kachoris using ur recipe and techniques and was able to get perfect crispy and flaky crust. Now here I need ur help. As I went through different websites for samosa recipe, I got confused as some say that the dough should be soft n pliable, while some say it should be tight. Please throw some light on this. Also, how is the samosa dough different from that of kachori. And how thick should the kachori crust be rolled in comparison to samosa crust.

thanks himani. for samosa the dough should be tight. if it is soft then there will be bubbles on the crust. in terms of preparation both are similar. in terms of crust, kachori crust is more softer than a samosa crust. you can keep the kachori crust thick but for samosa its better if its medium in thickness (neither too thin nor too thick).

wow…such a detailed, well-photographed, well-explained recipe. Hats off to u ma’am for so much patience n skill Love ur recipes. Dunno wat wud I have cooked for so long if I hadn’t cum across ur blog Perfect recipes I cud go on n on praising u but I’m sure by now u get d point tat I love ur recipes Thank u thank u thank u sooooo much

thanks rani. just cover the samosas with a moist cloth and keep in the fridge. another way is you fry them till they the cover turns opaque. then cool at room temperature and keep in the fridge covered in a box or container. then let them come at room temperature next day before frying.

Thank you so much for such detailed information on making such a wonder dish. I first tried them from a little shop in Vancouver BC Canada and fell in love with such a great treat. I am looking forward to trying your recipe. Again, thank you so much. Kathleen

My brother loves these samosas very much. He always tells me to buy it for him when I go out! Now, thanks to your amazing detailed recipe, I can try and make it at home. I have to go shopping for ingredients first! Thank u so much! I hope they turn out great!

Thanks a ton for all these amazing recipes. Tried stuffing one and the samosas came out really yummy. Alsso made papdis..I have been using your recipes For every veggie, daal etc and become a masterchef for my family.

5 CN37 Sneakers RTRY Canvas Casual 5 5 Comfort Pu Spring US6 Comfort 7 EU37 Flat UK4 Women'S White I made the 1st stuffing recipe too and I followed the exact recipe for the spice mix, but it seemed to be too little for me…next time I will increase the quantity.

thanks for the recipie i changed the filling to chicken but they were still delicious but i would like to ask what if you dont want to make 14 samosas in total. because i want to make for my other relatives and freinds does that mean i have double the ingredients for example 2 cups of flour=4 cups of flour? but the samosas were AMAZING!!!!!!…..

I would have liked to see the video start with the dough (mixing and kneading). Mine is not working. I have added 3X the water called for and it is still cracking. It is not kneadable! Not rollable. Process-wize, starting with a wet dough (all the water and 2/3 the flour) would be much easier. That way, you could mix/knead it, adding flour, and stop when you have the right texture. This has been way, way more work already, and it is still not coming together. On the bright side, it smells wonderful!

the addition of water depends upon the quality of flour. some flours require more water and some don’t. if the dough is not kneadable, then more water needs to be added. thats how it is usually done. just that the dough needs to be firm and not soft, but one that can be rolled. your suggestion is also good in a way. but if the water becomes too much than it can be an issue. we always add water in parts and then knead the dough.

I have to try this recipe,especially the baked version.The way my amma makes is pretty similar but what she does to avoid air bubbles is toasting the samosa cover lightly,not browning them but just toast the layers on a tawa for 3-4 seconds each side.This will make sure the layer doesn’t form any air bubbles while frying.

Made those twice over the weekend. Fantastic recipe. They came out extraordinary. Served them with the coriander chutney. Frying time was 20 min per batch of 6. One was left in the fridge. Warmed it up in the toaster oven and it came out as fresh as if it left the frying pan minutes ago. Awesome!!!